SC reserves verdict on pleas relating to grant of environmental clearance to projects
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions, including review pleas, relating to grant of retrospective environmental clearance (EC) to the projects violating green norms.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi reserved its verdict after hearing a battery of lawyers including Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati on behalf of the Centre.
The top court is currently hearing afresh a batch of pleas including the review petitions challenging the Vanashakti verdict.
The 2025 ruling initially barred the Centre from granting ex post facto (retrospective) clearances to projects that began operations without mandatory environmental approvals, but was later stayed to prevent the potential waste of thousands of crores in public investment.
On November 18 last year, a three-judge bench headed by the then Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai reversed by a majority of 2:1 its own verdict by an interim order and paved the way for retrospective environmental clearance to projects found violating environmental norms, saying that otherwise "thousands of crores of rupees would go in waste".
The apex court had held that numerous vital public projects constructed with nearly Rs 20,000 crore of the public exchequer money would be demolished if the May 16, 2025, verdict, which barred the Centre from granting retrospective environmental clearance to projects, was not recalled.
It had ordered a fresh hearing on the pleas.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
